Think Goldfish, think hooks.
The kinetic House sounds of South Africa’s Goldfish have started to build a solid reputation outside their homeland and for one night only played a memorable set to a largely ex-pat crowd at the Coronet in Elephant and Castle.
Live they utilise Saxophone and Electric Upright Bass to drive their unpretentious yet roof raising variation on the big bait (Ed- beat?) formula. However where other electronic/live groups use instruments to act as audience eye candy these guys actually KNOW how to play and the balance between preset and playing is wonderfully even. To this extent any gig will probably be unique from the last and the crowd on Friday can walk away with that great feeling that rather than a cynical exercise in crowd manipulation Goldfish were there with you. Mainly, because that’s the kind of guys they are.
Having a chat with them before the gig they exuded a colonial’s love of travelling and playing music for and with happy people everywhere. I recall sometime ago speaking to a group of high flying DJs who were trying to out-boast each other regarding their frequent flyer miles and executive lounge access, conversely Dave and Dominic happily recounted a tale where they unwittingly smuggled a two foot piece of biltong into the states.
Walking amongst the crowd , watching legions of wide-eyed blonde girls jumping and grabbing passers by to ecstatically shout anthemic choruses it’s hard to imagine that the next shows for the energetic duo are going to be any smaller or less exciting. Moreover as the economic climate sinks further and the need for release more urgent perhaps positive House music itself is ready to surface.
The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. – Aristotle
